Man dies on board Ashgabat – New Delhi flight

On February 2, 2019, a man died aboard the plane of Turkmenistan Airlines (Turkmenhowayollary), as it was flying en route Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – New Delhi, India.

Turkmenabad resident Eliman Khallyev, born in 1991, was sent to India for treatment and died as a result of a stroke, a representative of the Ashgabat International Airport informed the Azatlyk edition on February 12, 2019.

On the eve, some passengers of the plane that was flying from Ashgabat to New Delhi reported to Azatlyk of what happened.

“On February 2, 2019, a 23-24-year-old sick boy died in the plane during its Ashgabat – New Delhi flight. By that time, the plane had been 40 minutes in flight over Kabul, Afghanistan. The plane was turned back and landed in Ashgabat. Passengers were told that due to weather conditions in New Delhi, the plane could not reach the destination city. The young man was flying by his business class and he was the first one removed from the plane, as the ambulance was already waiting at the bottom,” said a passenger on the flight who spoke on condition of anonymity.

According to him, as a result of the accident, the flight was delayed for four hours, however, among the passengers there were many other sick people who were going to New Delhi for treatment.

“For all the time no one apologized. Almost all of the patients were on the plane. Some were preparing for the examination and did not eat anything in order to pass tests. Oncological patients also spent waiting without medical help,” said one of the witnesses to the incident.

According to the flight schedule for the Ashgabat International Airport, flight 535 of Turkmenistan Airlines flies to New Delhi every Saturday, departure time is 01:55 am local time.

The quality rating of the Turkmenistan Airlines services remains one of the lowest in the world. Flight delay is among the major shortcomings of this airline, the article says.